Greenskinz in a 1.5k tournament

[Furious]

Hey team,

I've got a tournament coming up, and I want to run Greenskinz. The people playing it are more competitive than I, so I'm not looking to melt face. However, I don't want to get completely run over (and before you tell me I'm playing the wrong army for that, I know...). I've come up with a couple of lists - I'd like to hear opinions as to why I should run one over the other.

It should be noted that players will be rolling on the artifact/command trait table.

Here's the first:

Leaders
Orruk Great Shaman (140)
Orruk Warboss (140) (banner)
Orruk Warboss On Wyvern (240)

Units
Orruks x 20 (200) (dual choppas)
Orruks x 10 (100) (bows)
Orruk Boarboys x 10 (200)

Behemoths
Rogue Idol (480)

Total: 1500

 

Here's the second:

Leaders
Orruk Great Shaman (140)
Orruk Warboss (140) (banner)
Orruk Warboss (140) (choppa+shield)

Units
Orruks x 20 (200) (dual choppas)
Orruks x 20 (200) (bows)
Orruk Boarboys x 10 (200)

Behemoths
Rogue Idol (480)

Total: 1500

 

 

So stronger boss+behemoth, or more models on the table? These lists are determined by the models I have available as well - so I can't bump the 2x choppa unit up to 30. That being said - should I run the double choppa unit as such, or with a choppa and shield? The strategy is to send the idol to muck everything up, with support from the melee infantry while my arrows and boars capture objectives. Heroes provide support. General to be determined.

Thanks for your time and consideration 

[DeadlySarcasm]

I like the first one, because youve got 2 big threats on the table and, in theory, while they are dealing with one they aren't dealing with the other. If you leave the wyvern at home, I would expect your opponents to take out the rogue idol and then mop up the rest.

[SpleenThief]

With Boar Boyz as battleline for greenskinz a fully mounted army would be cool, especially with how little points boars cost.

[Furious]

5 minutes ago, DeadlySarcasm said:

I like the first one, because youve got 2 big threats on the table and, in theory, while they are dealing with one they aren't dealing with the other. If you leave the wyvern at home, I would expect your opponents to take out the rogue idol and then mop up the rest.

Hmm I hadn't considered that. And I'll still have a 20 strong unit of orruks - should that be the choppy one or the bows/objective one?

5 minutes ago, SpleenThief said:

With Boar Boyz as battleline for greenskinz a fully mounted army would be cool, especially with how little points boars cost.

I agree! They're pretty good, especially with their shields, and board are awesome. Plus, with the boars, they get an even better boost from the Warboss' CA. 

Unfortunately I only have 10.

Thanks guys

[DeadlySarcasm]

@Furious I would personally take the choppas as a unit of 20, the rend on them is nice, plus it fits the theme nicely which is always a plus for me

[Anaticula]

I use to play mono Greenskinz quite a lot and I must say that two 30 mobs of Orruks are a blast. If you only take 20, you will most likely lose the bonus for their melee weapons.

 

And yes, go with dual choppas, forget about the lousy bows. Shields can be considered, but you want to maximize your damage output.

[Furious]

Hmm - in that case, should I bump the boar boyz down to five and up the orruks to 30? or perhaps split the boar boyz into two 5s and lose the bows? I'm not sure I can actually model enough orruks quickly enough though...

I know bows are lousy on paper, but I've had great success (luck?) with them. They're also so not threatening that they make good early objective takers. Objectively, I know I shouldn't be doing as well with them. Just like I know, objectively, my trolls shouldn't ****** the bed as much as they do, but two of them always manage to die in a round of combat, and the third just runs away...

[Nico]

Quote

Leaders
Orruk Great Shaman (140)
Orruk Warboss (140) (banner)
Orruk Warboss On Wyvern (240)

Units
Orruks x 20 (200) (dual choppas)
Orruks x 10 (100) (bows)
Orruk Boarboys x 10 (200)

Behemoths
Rogue Idol (480)

Total: 1500

Good list. I would probably use all Choppas on the Orruks - bows are terrible - choppas have rend and rerollable saves in melee - amazing. Possibly switch to 30 or even 40 Orruks as a single wrecking ball. Grot Shaman maybe?

Could you take Gorbad to buff the Rogue Idol perhaps?

 

[Furious]

Hmm - while Gorbad would be interesting and make the Idol even more unstoppable, it doesn't really benefit from the bravery, so the wound rerolls don't seem worth it (especially if I have the banner backing the orruks). Do love the idea of two wrecking balls, between the rogue idol and 30+ orruks. I can't add the grot shaman - believe me, I would have - because I need to stick to the faction for boar boyz to be battleline. Unfortunately, at 1500 you need 3, which seems like an oversight.

[Nico]

Not the command ability - the passive ability - Greenskinz are da best. In fact it's basically a shorter range version of the Banner Warboss, except that he's also choppier and it works on the Orruks and the Rogue Idol.

Danger of compendium models being lost though in some events when the GH is updated.

[Nico]

Quote

Unfortunately, at 1500 you need 3, which seems like an oversight.

Good point - was this clarified? I've never had to write a 1,500 list. I know 1000 and 500 are typically 2 Battleline, so I guess that means you're right in that more than 1,000 means the Battlehost level. 

[Furious]

Oh yeah I dig what you're shoveling. At only 20 points more than the regular warboss. But I have a weird thing against using both named characters and compendium scrolls. 

52 minutes ago, Nico said:

Good point - was this clarified? I've never had to write a 1,500 list. I know 1000 and 500 are typically 2 Battleline, so I guess that means you're right in that more than 1,000 means the Battlehost level. 

Yeah - it was pointed out by the organizers, and double-checking the GHB proved them right. I don't have it with me and forget the wording, but reading it not assuming that 3 battleline starts at 2000 makes it pretty clear.

I started questioning whether the Orruk Shaman is worth it - I mean, 140 points? Way overcosted, especially considering his unique spell (which has the chance of doing no damage even if you get it off). So 140 points for an arcane bolt/mystic shield slave? Maybe not, actually... I'm considering this:

Leaders
Orruk Warboss (140) - banner
Orruk Warboss On Wyvern (240)

Units
Orruks x 40 (400)
Orruk Boarboys x 5 (100)
Orruk Boarboys x 5 (100)

Behemoths
Rogue Idol (480)

War Machines

Battalions

Scenery

Total: 1460/1500
 

Very Orruky. I'm leaning towards dual choppas or spears over choppa/shield. I'm also losing out on 40 points. It's is a bit bogus that the Greenskinz can't field anything under 80 points. I've also completely stripped myself of mortal wounds and any ranged options, but honestly I think (hope) if the rogue idol has a rend of -3 and -2, a possible D3 mortal wounds a turn might not be that big of a deal.

This one feels good to me, though it's going to require a lot more prep work to get it ready. I'm not even sure if I have the parts or bases for 40 orruks...

[Furious]

I'm leaning towards the Wyvern rider for the general, mostly for survivability. I want to make the banner warboss the general and give him bellowing tyrant and let the Wyvern mess all over the battle field with battle brew. But I am afraid of him dying quickly, and down with him goes three great buffs. Anyone have experience with this, or how to avoid a hero on foot getting targeted?

[Furious]

This happened last weekend. Ran the above list, with the Wyvern as the general w/Bellowing Tyrant and Battle brew. Overall, I did worse than I expected, but was also pleased with how everything performed. My losses came down to deployment, I think...

First battle was up against a bunch of Khorne stuff. What are they, the warriors that attack back when they die, the big red demon with a painful whip, a ton of small heroes and a huge unit of Khorne daemons - my downfall. We played the scenario in which only heroes can capture the three points. With me, having two heroes, and him having about six, the odds were against me on this one. Well anyways I got a good lead at the beginning, sticking my heroes on the points in the first turns, while my orruks blocked for my banner and the idol tried to block for my Wyvern, but had a terrible movement roll and didn't get to him in time. That's when the bloodletters came at me... with their mortal wound buffs, they made really quick work of him. I don't think they killed him in one turn, but it was close. When the Idol got there, though, he slammed through them rather quickly. It was downhill from there, with Khorne taking the open point. It was actually close as I was able to hold the points early and for a few turns, but a missed charge from the slowpoke Idol prevented me from blocking his point gains.

 

Second battle was vs mixed destruction in Take and Hold - the scenario in which nobody has ever gotten a major victory. Mostly orruks and goblins, a Wyvern and an Arachnarok. I immediately slammed into his blocks of greenskins, Wyvern and gitmob with my Wyvern and Idol. My boss made quick work of his boss, getting him down to one wound during my turn. The Rogue idol had some pretty terrible rolls, though, and took about three full turns to get through the block of 30 spear orruks and 40 bow grots, with the help of the Wyvern. My orruk boys bit off more than they could chew by spreading out among the arachnarok, a unit of moonclan and some Ard Boys. They managed to take the arachnarok down to half health though, and from there proved to just be a nuisance, bogging up the middle of the field. From there, it was just a tedious blow-by-blow, until I won by having more points on the field. The boar boys did prevent my opponent from capturing a major victory, though, by hanging back and intercepting his ard boys who made a run at my objective.

 

Finally, I went up again more chaos in Gift from the Heavens (or w/e). I've played him before and knew I was out of luck (his roided-up Chosen fly 18" and pile in/attack twice in his combat phase and basically can't miss), but I wanted to get as far as I could. I am pleased with how it turned out. Again, the big boys rushed - trying to take out his hell cannon in turn one. I managed to only get a charge into his Horrors, who easily buckled under the force of my Wyvern. But his Chosen rammed into my big guys and that turned into a bloodbath, with his chosen barely coming out victorious. Meanwhile, my orruks made quick work of his marauders, but with his hellcannon still belching (it did 12 mortal wounds to my rogue idol in one shot - which turned out to be six, but still) and with his heroes still running amok, I got tabled after almost taking the most amount of points.

 

So, overall I think my failure was not using the Command Ability. I think the block or 40 Orruks only made use of it once the whole game. I would definitely either use my wyvern to support the troops, or make the banner boss the general - because when they had it, it was something to see for sure. The boar boys didn't add much to combat either, but were good to have around to do some blocking and thwarting. All in all, I really liked playing this list as I knew I was going in at a disadvantage and still stood my ground. I'm just hoping that these Greenskinz get the extra wound per model that their Savage cousins have. They deserve it.